The Price of Commitment
by Miratete
Summary: Gloria Baker struggles with a failed romance with a fellow racer. Based upon Gloria's summoning scenes in Episode 30: "The Lost Riches of Rio" and Episode 55: "The Plunder of Glowworm Grotto."


The Price of Commitment

-o-o-o-o-o-

"Bobby! Congrats on the win! I finally could get up here." She had been hoping to get to him for the past thirty minutes but he was at the center of the media circus. Everyone wanted a post-race interview with Bobby Meyer and the huge golden trophy in his hands. Gloria threw her arms around him, but he pulled back as she tried to kiss him.

"Yeah...um thanks."

"What? You're not worried about me, are you? I'm just fine."

"Well, it's...look...could you meet me after things have calmed down?"

"Well sure...but..."

"I'll see you in the pits in a little while? 'K?"

"All right, Bobby."

Gloria fell back. What was going on? He had been a bit cold before the race, but that was normal enough. He usually had his mind on the track instead of her. She sighed and went back to her garage where her crew was finishing cleaning up.

The race had finished early for the Trakker Industries team. Debris from another car's accident had sent her spinning into the guard wall. She had not been injured but the car was down and out.

She collected her things as they started to lock up the garage, and soon she was left alone to wait.

When Bobby finally got over to her, she could tell immediately there was bad news ready to spill. "Sorry you got knocked out so soon," he said. "I'm glad you weren't hurt." But it was just small talk.

"Yeah. There was no way I could avoid that mess. It took out a couple other guys too. But hey, you won. Congratulations!"

"Thanks." He sighed and sat down.

She came over and sat beside him. "What's wrong, Bobby?"

He stretched and looked up nervously. "Gloria. It's over between us."

"What?"

"We're through."

"What?! Why!?"

"Because I can't handle your attitude any more."

"My attitude?" she choked. "What's wrong with my attitude?"

"Your Gloria 'Runaway' Baker attitude. You're going along just fine and then all of a sudden you take off and who knows where to? Then a week or so later you're back and you act like nothing's happened. Well I just can't take it any more."

"Oh Bobby...I thought...I told you I..."

"I should have known better than to get involved with someone nicknamed 'Runaway.' You know that's what they call you," he huffed, cutting her off.

"Yes...I do know...but..."

"Okay. There was that time you and I were out having fun on the Sierra Mill track, just you and I. Remember? And you shoved past me and pulled way ahead. And then suddenly I see you coming straight at me and I'm trying to figure out what the heck was going on. Was there something wrong? And I'm so worried about you that I missed the bridge coming up and ended up in the river. I finally get back and you're gone gone gone. What if I'd been hurt? You wouldn't have even been there to radio it in. And a week later you're back and all la-di-da...nothing's happened."

"Bobby, it's not that big a deal, is it?"

His voice became angry. "I honestly don't know how Trakker puts up with you. I know of two races now that you've suddenly ditched, even though you were in the lead. If I were him I would have found myself a new driver, someone who doesn't suddenly bail on a whim."

Gloria looked down at her hands in her lap. There was nothing that could be said. But oh, the irony of his judgment.

"Our last date. Remember? Two weeks ago? We'd gone out to dinner...went to a movie...went to that club. I was having a great time. You seemed to be too. Everything was perfect and I was starting to think that maybe we could get a little more serious about this relationship." He turned accusingly to her. "And suddenly I'm dancing with the cocktail waitress and you're nowhere to be found."

Gloria sighed and let the tears fall.

Bobby hung his hands between his knees. "I started thinking about it after that...really thinking...trying to figure out what made me so upset. And I realized it's not just the times you've walked out on me, because it's not just me you keep running away from. It's everyone... everything." He stood up and looked out over the now empty racetrack. "My father always instilled it in us kids, that you go all the way and don't quit. If you say you're going to do something, you go and do it, whatever it is. It breaks my heart to think you can't make a commitment. That's your problem Gloria. It's like your loyalties have ADD."

"Sometimes...sometimes I just have to go. But I can make a commitment...I can Bobby! "

"Sure. But it won't be to me." His voice sounded as if he were on the verge of tears himself. "I'm sorry it had to end this way and I hope that someday you'll grow up and take a little more responsibility." Dejectedly, angrily, frustratedly...he walked off and out of her life.

-o-o-o-o-o-

"Easy there, Gloria. You just about clipped that outcropping," cautioned Buddie.

No answer.

"Gloria?"

"Plenty of room," she growled over the radio.

"I say. She's in a mood."

"No kidding. At least she'll be out of gas soon and have to come in for refueling."

"Want me find an excuse to keep Shark off the track?" asked Bruce.

"Might be best, old boy. She'll hurt herself if she keeps this up."

When at last Gloria brought Shark in, Bruce was ready. As she pulled up to the fuel pump, he popped open the hood and began attaching wires to the engine and the diagnostic computer to the main plug-in.

Gloria finished filling the fuel tank and stood about impatiently, waiting for Bruce to finish up. Eventually, she grew frustrated with the wait. "Are you done yet?" She had not even taken her helmet off.

Bruce shook his head.

"Well hurry it up!" she snapped at him uncharacteristically.

"I apologize. This may take some time." He leaned beneath the hood to avoid her angry stare.

Alex and Buddie were hiding just inside the garage and winced at her biting demand. "Talk about throwing someone to the sharks...want me to try to find out what's wrong? Or would you like to try to defuse her?" Alex asked.

"Flip a coin?"

The lot fell to Buddie.

He took a deep breath and approached. It had been a long time since he had seen her as riled up as she was now. "Gloria?"

"What?"

"Look, I didn't mean to criticize your driving out there. I was just a bit worried."

"Sure. Whatever."

"Want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?"

"What's bothering you." He shooed Bruce back to the garage with a quick wave of his hand. Sato retreated without any further encouragement.

"I'm fine. It's just a stupid personal issue."

"You sound like you need someone to talk to."

She turned toward him, her gloved hands coming down hard on Shark's back end. "Why would I want to talk to you? It's not like you can do anything." Suddenly she sobbed and turned away. She pulled off the helmet and wiped at her eyes with the sleeve of her jumpsuit.

Buddie reached into the car and switched off the engine. Then he came around beside her and very cautiously placed his hand on her shoulder. "Outside of the team, I know you don't have a lot of people you can talk to. Heck, none of us do, anyone who can really understand."

Unexpectedly she buried her face in Buddie's shoulder, crying hard. Gingerly he put his arms around her. He looked back over his shoulder to where Alex was giving him a thumbs-up sign.

"Is it Bobby?"

"Yes," she sniffled.

"He break up with you?"

"Yeah...'cause of that last mission. He got so mad that I just ran away...again. But everything he said was true and I can't blame him at all for calling it quits with me. What hurts the most is that he said it's because I can't make a commitment and be serious. It's my commitment to MASK that makes him think I'm a super-flake. And I can't defend myself."

Buddie sighed and pulled her over to the bench beside the fuel pumps and they sat. "I've lost three girlfriends because of missions or MASK business." he told her. "Actually it's been more than that. I decided not to count all the relationships that didn't really get anywhere or the 'could have been's.' I guess we all have to ask ourselves what's more important personally...to have a real love life or save the world."

"Why can't we have both?"

"Well, because..." Buddie froze. Well why couldn't they? What said they could not have a real relationship that went somewhere, to have someone that cared about them and always waited for them to return and could accept that they might not, someone that understood there were secrets and things that couldn't be discussed, someone who tolerated missed anniversaries and forgotten birthdays and absence during a family crisis, someone who...

Buddie sighed. "...because there's probably nobody out there who would put up with us."

"I thought that Bobby did understand. I told him that sometimes...sometimes I just had to leave. And he said that was okay."

"But it wasn't once you got closer, was it?"

She sobbed. "No. He could put up with me being gone for races...that he understands. Heck, half the time we were in the same ones. But it was when I was gone without reason and wouldn't explain why or where or what..."

He held her tightly, rocking slightly, as she dampened his coveralls with tears.

"He told me my problem was that I couldn't commit to anything or anyone. If he only knew why, he'd understand. MASK is the most important thing in my life, but its a huge commitment. Everything else gets put on hold for missions."

"So until we put an end to VENOM, it's lonely nights, pointless dates, and perpetual batchelorness."

"I don't think that's a word," she mumbled against his coveralls.

"It should be."

"Whatever you say."

"So in that case, you'd better not kill yourself out on the test track here, because we need Gloria Baker's help in shutting down VENOM." He carefully brushed her hair out of her tear-stained eyes.

"Sorry to scare you...I was just so upset."

"Because once we shut down VENOM she can get married and have three kids and go to P.T.A. meetings and nurse runny noses and worry about how the heck she's going to get the kids to soccer practice four days a week and work two jobs to cover for her husband's unemployment. You know, all those good things MASK agents don't get to enjoy."

"You're right...what the heck was I thinking..." she smirked at his gentle teasing. Her eyes lifted up to him. "Batchelorness actually sounds pretty good."

"Want to see if the other bachelors want to go out for a stag party? That road house out at the junction has pretty good food and I'm getting kinda hungry." He stood up and held his hand out to her.

She took it and he pulled her to her feet, her tears drying. He suddenly jerked her toward him, pulling her against his chest where he caught her in a tight hug and kissed her forehead. "Don't worry Gloria. It won't be forever. Things will change."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

-o-o-o-o-o-

Here's to those who love not too wisely, know not wisely, but too well.

To the girl who sighs with envy when she hears that wedding bell.

To the guy who'd throw a party if he knew someone to call.

Here's to the losers. Bless them all.

Here's to those who drink their dinners when that lady doesn't show.

To the girl who'll wait for kisses underneath that mistletoe.

To the lonely summer lovers when the leaves begin to fall.

Here's to the losers. A-bless them all.

Hey, Tom, Dick and Harry, come in out of the rain

Those torches you carry must be drowned in champagne

Here's the last toast of the evening. Here's to those who still believe.

All the losers will be winners. All the givers shall receive.

Here's to trouble-free tomorrows. May your sorrows all be small.

Here's to the losers. Bless them all.

-Frank Sinatra "Here's to the Losers"

-o-o-o-o-o-

M.A.S.K. and all related concepts, characters, worlds, and events are property of DIC Enterprises, Inc and Kenner Toys. Original characters and story elements are property of E. Potter, writing under the pen name of Miratete.


End file.
